Mercedes Continues to Dismiss Prospect of X-Class Pickup Coming to U.S. Market

Daimler chief executive Dieter Zetsche has once again dismissed the chances of the Mercedes-Benz X-Class pickup truck becoming available in the United States.

Prompted by a question from our friends at Autoblog, Zetsche indicated during the Detroit auto show that its midsize offering doesn’t align with conventional notions of premium trucks being full-size. As a result, Zetsche says the Stuggart-based automaker doesn’t see the U.S. as a “relevant market or a suitable market for that truck.”

While the Honda Ridgeline and Toyota Tacoma have recently rejoined the Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon in the burgeoning midsize truck segment, a luxury pickup comparable to those offered in the larger formats remains absent.

That being said, Zetsche said that while Daimler would pursue the opportunity for such a product if the demand existed, that “our research so far tells us it’s not there.”

Previewed in October as the Concept X-Class, the production model of the pickup is expected to be equipped with a turbocharged diesel V-6 engine mated to a 4Matic permanent all-wheel-drive system. The truck goes into production this year in Argentina and Spain and will be sold in Europe, Latin America, Australia and Africa.